1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of food ovens. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a food oven having two heating elements whereby control means are provided for automatically adjusting the heating elements to efficiently cook a particular food item.
2. Description of the Relevant Art and Problem
Today, restaurants find it increasingly more desirable to efficiently cook food in order to provide fast service and to reduce the labor costs involved in the cooking process. Efficiency means that a particular food item is cooked in a short time and with minimal interaction required from an operator while not sacrificing food quality.
Many ovens currently in use contain a single heating element and the user must set the temperature and monitor the food item to determine when to remove it from the oven. Some ovens contain a timer which turns the heating element on and off to allow a food item to cook for a predetermined time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,669 to Huntley, is directed to and entitled, an Oven Having Dual Heating Means. This invention describes an oven having a base plate which is heated. Food items may be placed directly on the heated base plate. A second heating element, preferably a quartz lamp heating element, is placed above the base plate, in the oven's cavity. This quartz heater has a greater thermal intensity than the base heater. A timer is provided which allows the quartz heater to be turned on after a predetermined time, and remain on for a second predetermined time. This would allow, for example, the top of a pizza to be browned quickly after the pizza had almost fully cooked. Thus, the brief time but intense heat from the quartz heater permits a pizza to be rapidly cooked and the top browned without sacrificing food quality.
However, an operator must select a proper time for when the quartz heater should be operated, and also determine how long the quartz heater should be operated. These two time periods differ depending upon the current temperature of the oven and the type of food being cooked. Only an operator skilled with this type of oven having dual heating elements can accurately determine the most efficient time and method for cooking a particular food item. Consequently, there is a need to provide an automatic means for operating such a dual heating element oven which considers both the current temperature of the oven and the type of food being cooked.
Restating the problem, unless the food item is constantly monitored by the operator, it may become overcooked because of previous cooking cycles heating the oven which increases the latent heat stored in the air and oven structure. For example, an oven which uses quartz lamp bulbs as well as conducted and convected heat will overcook pizzas if pizzas are rapidly cooked in sequence.